Seattle's in for a (mostly) sunny Memorial Day weekend. Here's how to stay safe around water
Memorial Day weekend is here — and while you may be tempted to celebrate the unofficial start of summer by heading to the beach or jumping into one of the Seattle area’s many bodies of water, King County officials are urging caution.
Seattle is forecast to get mostly sunny skies on Saturday and Sunday, with temperatures in the low 70s and high 60s, according to the National Weather Service.
But lakes, rivers, and oceans haven’t caught up just yet, county officials say, and will remain dangerously cold well into the summer. Many rivers and lakes across King County stay between 50 and 60 degrees even when the air temperature is hot.
Officials are also warning residents to take precautions against drownings.
“King County’s lakes, rivers, and marine waters are spectacular but can also be dangerous,” said John Taylor, director of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks. “Even strong swimmers can experience muscle failure from cold water shock within seconds. And rivers that appear calm can have strong currents and hidden obstacles.”
Between 2018 and 2024, 190 people have died from what King County health leaders call preventable drownings. That’s an average of over 27 deaths per year — an increase from an average 18 deaths from 2014 to 2017. More than 70% of these deaths were among men, and over 60% of decedents had drugs and/or alcohol in their system.
More than half of the 190 drowning deaths in the last seven years occurred in open water, including rivers, lakes, and Puget Sound, according to the county. Lake Washington, the Green and Snoqualmie rivers, and Puget Sound were some of the most common locations.
For the first time since 2018, there was a small decline in drownings — but officials say it’s not enough.
With that in mind, here are some safety tips if you're planning a dip this weekend or later this summer:
- Wear a life jacket
- Do not consume alcohol and drugs when around water
- Make sure an adult is watching children in the water at all times — and adults should have a swimming buddy, too
- Take extreme caution around rivers — and if you do enter one, always tell someone where you’re starting and plan to get out
- Swim at public pools with lifeguards
- Take swimming lessons
